Minister of National Security, Charles Savarin, has sought to shed light on the matter of a man arrested in Barbados on firearm charges, indicating the suspect was traveling to Dominica to pick up his five-year-old Dominican-born son.

(IMAGE VIA – dominicanewsonline.com) Savarin stated, in a release, that the police in Dominica have no reports of illegal activities by the man.

According to reports, Malachi Maliki Haile Mugabe, was arrested on Sunday, December 16, when he arrived in Barbados by air from Trinidad. Customs discovered a gun and ammunition in a false bottom in his luggage while it was being scanned.

He was handed over to the police and was later charged with committing the following offences: Illegal Possession of a firearm; Illegal Possession of 59 rounds of ammunition; Importation of a firearm without a valid license; and Importation of ammunition without a valid license.

It was initially reported that Mugabe was a Nigerian national but Savarin said the Dominican police was subsequently informed by regional security sources that the individual was in fact a citizen of St. Kitts and Nevis by birth whose name was Kendal Alister Huggins.

He changed his name in 2007, Savarin said. Meanwhile – political leader of the United Workers Party (UWP), Edison James, rejected out of hand the statement from Minister Savarin, believing Mugabe had more to his visit than family…

(IMAGE VIA – dominicanewsonline.com) James described the statement as “mumbo jumbo,” “disrespectful to Dominicans,” and “disingenuous.”

In a statement released on Thursday, Savarin indicated that Malachi Maliki Haile Mugabe was traveling to Dominica to pick up his five-year-old son when he was arrested. He also indicated that the police in Dominica have no reports of criminal activities by Mugabe.

Since the story broke there has been a firestorm of speculation and concerns were raised by many in Dominica that Mugabe may have had sinister motives for his ‘visit’ to the island. James was one of the most prominent persons who had called on Savarin to urgently address the nation on the matter.

In an interview with Dominica News Online over the weekend, James indicated he was not satisfied with Savarin’s statement. “What we have here from Mr. Savarin after this extended period of time is a most garbled, jumbled up, mumbo jumbo comment,” he stressed. “It is disrespectful to Dominicans.”